


with your golden glow and my weary bones

by MoraMew



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Accents, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drinking, Fate & Destiny, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Yokai AU, Yokai!Daichi, a mashup of xxxHolic and Kamisama Kiss and also a bastardization of yokai lore, i said to myself- i want Daichi to wear yukatas and smoke from a kiseru, so i decided to write it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-13
Updated: 2020-07-13
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:28:36
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25243174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoraMew/pseuds/MoraMew
Summary: Daichi Sawamura has lived for a long, long,longtime. He's seen the world and (most of) what it has to offer. He has made friends and lost friends. He has found family and forged his own kin. He has watched the world develop and fall, pull itself back together again. (And again)Daichi Sawamura has lived for averylong time and he has seen- and done- many things.He has never met someone quite like Oikawa Tooru, though.
Relationships: Oikawa Tooru/Sawamura Daichi
Comments: 13
Kudos: 37





	with your golden glow and my weary bones

For as long as Daichi has lived and for all the wisdom and knowledge he’s gained through his many, many, _many_ years, one would think he would have expected the full fledged tackle that greeted him whenever he entered the izakaya.   
  
He did not, though, and he ends up stumbling backward- grunting whenever the sudden, full weight of the tiny ball of pure energy that had attacked him propels him back toward the entrance with its unsuspected force.   
  
“Daichi-san!”   
  
A huff leaves Daichi and he smiles despite himself, raises a hand and pats the enthusiastic greeter’s head.   
  
“Good to see you, Nishinoya.”   
  
Nishinoya grins up at him- bright and happy- and any small trace of annoyance over the greeting vanishes from Daichi in an instant.   
  
It’s been two weeks since he’s been gone. The warm greeting is appreciated- even if it had been a little painful and startling.   
  
“Daichi-san, did you bring me what I asked for?”   
  
The question makes him huff and Daichi looks down at a still grinning Nishinoya, shakes his head and clicks his tongue.   
  
“I see how it is,” he says. “You’re only excited for me to be home because you want your feathers.”   
  
“No! I did miss you! But you said you would pick it up for me!”   
  
Daichi huffs, again, but it does come out softer and more fond this time. He extracts himself from the clinging hold and digs into his kinchaku to retrieve what Nishinoya is waiting for. He maybe spends a few moments digging around longer than necessary- he _did_ just get home and it _is_ a little greedy for Nishinoya to ask for his request already; Daichi thinks it’s okay to tease him a bit- but, eventually, he gives into the impatient look in eager brown eyes and takes it out. Nishinoya’s eyes light up once Daichi pulls out the cluster of feathers and, really, Daichi must finally be getting old because the joy on his friend’s face makes him feel _soft_.   
  
“DAICHI-SAN!!! THANK YOU!!!!”   
  
Daichi winces at the yell, but he dutifully hands the feathers over and endures a hug that he’s pretty sure cracks one of his ribs. The hug goes on and it gets even more tight as Nishinoya continually thanks him and Daichi is only saved from all his ribs being splintered when a tan, strong hand picks up Nishinoya by his collar and pulls him away.   
  
“Alright, alright- that’s _enough!_ Let Daichi _breathe_ , Nishinoya!”   
  
Daichi looks at Ukai, grateful for the assistance, and smiles in greeting at the exasperated looking bartender as he rubs his tender ribs.   
  
“Hey, Daichi,” Ukai says with a small smile of his own. “Good to see ya home again.”   
  
“Good to be home,” Daichi hums.   
  
It really is good to be home. The trip had been nice, yes, but it had been _very_ busy and Daichi is _tired_. He is ready to rest.   
  
...after a drink, though.   
  
Daichi takes a breath and he breathes in deep with it- even if it makes his ribs ache ever so lightly. The izakaya smells like cigarette smoke and good food and the cheap sandalwood incense that Ukai likes to burn. It smells good, comforting.   
  
It smells like home.   
  
“You want a drink, Daichi?” Ukai asks. He releases his hold on Nishinoya and Nishinoya is gone the second his feet touch the floor- immediately bolting across the izakaya once free and shoving his feathers into Asahi’s face with an excited little noise.   
  
Daichi smiles at that and he smiles even more when he looks back to Ukai, nods his head.   
  
“You read my mind.”   
  
They share a grin and Daichi follows Ukai over to the (thankfully) empty bar, happily sits down and allows himself a content sigh.   
  
It’s good to be home.   
  
“So, how was it?” Ukai asks. Daichi watches as he starts to make him some ocha-wari and his contentedness grows even more so. “The old man give ya any trouble?”   
  
Daichi shakes his head and he takes one of the cigarettes that Ukai offers him, enjoys a sip of his perfectly made drink before he starts talking about his trip.   
  
“Nah,” Daichi tells him, lighting the cigarette and taking a drag. “He was busy with clan stuff. He didn’t have time to harass me.” Daichi takes another drag and he grins at Ukai- the curve of his lips _almost_ twitching into a smirk. “He wanted to know why you didn’t come, though. Was very annoyed by that.”   
  
“He knows I have a bar to run! I can’t just abandon it! Who the hell is gonna run it if I up and leave, huh? _Asahi?!_ ”   
  
The two of them snort at the idea and Daichi grins into his drink when he hears an offended " _hey_ " sound from the long haired chef in question.   
  
“I’ll be shuttin’ the bar down to visit next month anyway,” Ukai continues with an unheated huff. “That old man is just fuckin’ impatient.”   
  
Daichi hums an agreement, but his smile stays in place.   
  
The older Ukai is impatient, yes.   
  
But Daichi _also_ knows that the man misses his grand-son.   
  
“How was Suga?” Nishinoya asks, clamoring onto the stool next to Daichi. He reaches for Ukai’s pack of cigarettes, but Daichi smacks his hand away before he can grab onto them.   
  
“Good,” Daichi tells him, ignoring the sulk on Nishinoya’s face. “He said that he wants to plan a visit whenever things calm down a little bit. It’s been hectic preparing for the hatchlings.”   
  
Nishinoya brightens at that and, honestly, Daichi does too- though his pleasure at the idea is a little more contained than the series of happy, _loud_ noises that leave his friend.   
  
“Really?! I haven’t seen Suga in _forever!_ Not since last year!”   
  
“You can go visit him, you know,” Asahi points out, joining them and sitting on Daichi’s other side. “You know he wouldn’t mind. And I’m sure the others wouldn’t mind seeing you either.”   
  
“I _know_ that!” Nishinoya pipes up with a huff. “But I gotta wait until my uni break!”   
  
“You’ve gone through university _two times now_ ,” Ukai says, exasperated but still fond if the amusement in his eyes is anything to go by. “I’m sure you can take time off from playin’ the college student to go visit the family.”   
  
“But I’m learning veterinary science this time! It’s fun!”   
  
Daichi smiles at that and he sips his beer as he listens to Nishinoya chatter on about his classes and how things have changed since the last time he was in school, how this time around is the _most_ fun he’s had so far.   
  
Daichi is glad for that. He knows that some yokai get burnt out over their long lives and it’s good to see that the bright presence that is Nishinoya Yuu is still burning strong.   
  
“We start our labs next semester! And then we can do internships! I’m tryin’ to talk Kyoutani into letting me do it as his place, but he ignores me every time I ask!”   
  
“I wouldn’t want to be responsible for you at my work either,” Daichi teases. “Or let you have access to so many animals. It’s a disaster waiting to happen.”   
  
“ _Daichi-san!_ ”   
  
Daichi grins at the whine in Nishinoya’s voice and goes to tease some more, but gets distracted when someone calls out to Ukai for an order of yakitori.   
  
“Oi, Azumane- get in the kitchen and do your job!”   
  
Asahi sighs, but he still moves to do as he’s told. He throws a smile Daichi’s way- small and gentle but still there- and Daichi smiles back even if he’s tempted to tease Asahi about slacking off.   
  
He has a lot of teasing to do- it’s been too long since he’s seen Asahi and he’s sure the others have been babying him in his absence.   
  
“It’s nice to have you home,” Asahi tells him.   
  
Daichi hums his thanks and Asahi disappears behind the bar and into the kitchen. The clanking of dishes soon sounds and Daichi diverts his attention back to his drink and the conversation that Ukai and Nishinoya are having.   
  
“I could so be trusted to work in a zoo!”   
  
“Nishinoya, you couldn’t be trusted to watch over a teddy bear.”   
  
Daichi snorts at that, snorts even more when Nishinoya sulks. He finishes off his drink and pushes the empty glass to Ukai, hums his appreciation when the bartender goes to refill it.   
  
“So,” Daichi says before Nishinoya begins a tirade over how he could _totally_ be trusted to work in a zoo and how he could _totally_ be trusted to not let the animals free, “how was it while I was gone? Anything interesting happen?”   
  
Ukai shrugs a little and he offers another cigarette to Daichi- something that Daichi politely declines with a shake of his head.   
  
“Someone moved into the old Osayu house!” Nishinoya pipes up, grabbing on eagerly to the second mug of ocha-wari that Ukai makes. “Kuguri says he’s noisy and that he’s gonna curse him until he moves out.”   
  
Daichi snorts at the thought and he rests his chin on his hand, wonders absently over the newest person to join their neighborhood.   
  
“Kuguri needs to find a new place to live anyway,” Daichi says with a shrug. “Sleeping under that house all the time has made him lazy.”   
  
“I _told_ him that he should enroll in university with me this year, but he said it sounded like too much effort!”   
  
Daichi snorts, again, and he sips at his drink- perfectly imagining the annoyed look on the tsuchinoko’s face at the thought of doing something other than sleeping and slithering out of his beloved crawlspace to eat and drink.   
  
“Have you met the person that moved in?” Daichi asks, letting his curiosity take over in a quiet, small way. “Talked to them?”   
  
Nishinoya shakes his head and he looks disappointed by the fact that he hasn’t been able to pounce on the new guy yet.   
  
“No,” Nishinoya says with a dramatic little sigh. “The crows have, though- they say he’s okay for a human from the city.”   
  
High praise from those grumpy creatures.   
  
Daichi hums, his interest staying with him, and he opens his mouth to ask more about the man. He’s completely interrupted by the arrival of the Miyas, however, and, in the always so chaotic distraction that they bring, Daichi completely forgets about the newest addition to the neighborhood.   
  
He spends the night drinking and catching up with his friends and the regulars that wander in. It gets a little loud, but it’s nice. Warm. Friendly.   
  
It’s perfect and, truly, it’s good to be home.   
  
💠💠💠   
  
_It’s hot_.   
  
That is Daichi’s first thought when he wakes in the morning and he grunts at it, scowls sleepily when he tilts his head to find two bodies pressed against him- long legs wrapped around his body, fluffy (and heavy- why so heavy?) tails draped across his chest, and drooling faces resting on his shoulders. An ear jerks in a soft spasm against the hollow of his throat and Daichi feels his left eye twitch.   
  
Daichi stares at the ceiling blearily for a few moments and then takes a breath, shoves off the _loudly_ snoring pair of kitsune flopped on top of him.   
  
“ _Shit-_ what the _fuck_ , Sawamura?!”   
  
Daichi just grunts and ignores Atsumu’s growl, rubs his eye and yawns in unison with Osamu. He ignores Atsumu’s snarling and gets up from the sweaty futon- crap, he’s going to have to wash it now-, yawns again as he stumbles out of his bedroom and heads to the kitchen.   
  
Coffee. He needs coffee.   
  
“What the hell are you two doin’ up here?” Daichi grumbles when the kitsune follow him to the kitchen. He yanks down his coffee grounds from his cupboard with a huff and moves to get the percolator started. Behind him, one of them yawns and Daichi scowls quietly in want of more sleep. “I distinctly remember telling you last night to _go the fuck home_.”   
  
“We didn’t want to,” Atsumu tells him, huffing a little and flopping down by the chabudai. “It was fuckin’ late. Comin’ up here was easier.” A yawn leaves Atsumu and Daichi presses his lips together as he watches him scratch over his chest lazily, as he watches a long, pointed ear twitch. “Besides- if you really didn’t want us to come up, you woulda changed yer locks already.”   
  
“You really don’t know the meaning of boundaries, do you?”   
  
“Fuck you and yer boundaries.”   
  
Daichi ignores the unheated snap and begins to pull down three mugs, takes out what they need to fix up their drinks how they like. Osamu- the slightly less rude and obnoxious but still _rude_ twin- starts rooting around in the fridge, pulls out pots and pans and starts slapping together breakfast without a word.   
  
Well. At least Osamu cooks for him after crashing in his futon uninvited.   
  
What a gentleman.   
  
“Breakfast,” Daichi tells them, “and then you two can kindly get the hell out.”   
  
He sends Atsumu a pointed look as he says it, but the kitsune ignores him in favor of pulling a pipe out of thin air and lighting it up. Daichi glares at him, but he follows suit after a few moments and does the same.   
  
“Why do we hafta get out?” Osamu asks, banging around pots way more loudly than he has to. “You just got back- you don’t have shit to do.”   
  
Yeah, right- he _wishes_.   
  
“Unlike _some_ people, I have _work_ to do,” Daichi huffs. “I haven’t worked on my novel since I went to visit Suga. My editor is going to _kill_ me if I don’t have something to show him soon.”   
  
“How is my favorite crow, by the way?” Atsumu asks- completely without pity or interest over Daichi falling behind in his writing.   
  
“Still engaged. Still not interested in your lecher ass.”   
  
Atsumu’s lips pull into a snarl and Daichi ignores him, takes a draw from his kiseru as Osamu snorts his amusement in the background.   
  
“I’m gonna fuck his brains out one day,” Atsumu promises. “And then I’m gonna eat his heart and steal his soul.”   
  
“Suga has no soul,” Daichi tells him flatly, taking another (slightly more irritated) draw from his pipe after. “And he’d eviscerate you before you could even _think_ about touching him.”   
  
“I could be inta that.”   
  
Daichi rolls his eyes and he stands to check on the coffee, begins preparing the mugs.   
  
“Gods, how do ya use that old ass thing? Fuckin’ old man. Fuckin’ hipster ass.”   
  
“Shut the hell up. I can’t be a hipster if I’ve been using this since the 1890’s.”   
  
“Oh, so yer just old then,” Osamu chimes in, voice still low with sleep.   
  
“You two are only a century younger than me!”   
  
The two of them sneer- expressions matching and managing to double to his annoyance in a mere second.   
  
Gods. They’re such _little shits_. Why does he let them come around?   
  
Daichi huffs and scowls down at the mugs, starts putting together their coffees with more force than necessary.   
  
Two spoons of sugar for him. One spoonful of sugar for Osamu, plus a splash of cream. A dash of whiskey for Atsumu.   
  
Just how everyone likes.   
  
...Daichi should have made the brats make their own coffees.   
  
With another huff, Daichi brings the mugs to the table and sets them down carefully so he doesn’t spill anything. Atsumu- the impatient _bastard_ \- grabs his mug as soon as Daichi sets it down and Daichi’s lip curls in annoyance over it. The gulp that Atsumu takes scalds his tongue, though, and Daichi is left smirking as the kitsune gasps and sticks his tongue out, fans it with a whine.   
  
_Serves him right_.   
  
After a few minutes, Osamu deposits a modest breakfast of bacon, eggs, and toast on the table and joins them. Daichi is sure to grab most of the bacon- it’s _his_ food after all- and only stuffs a whole strip of it in his mouth when the twins shoot him glares.   
  
Bastards. They’re lucky that Daichi didn’t throw them out as soon as he woke up.   
  
They eat quietly, surprisingly enough. If there’s one thing shared between the three of them, it’s their love of food.   
  
And they might all still be waking up, too.   
  
Daichi takes a sip of his coffee and he swallows back the yawn that wants to sound.   
  
He _needs_ to wake up. He has so much shit that he has to catch up on- he really can’t laze around all day.   
  
Even if the thought _is_ tempting.   
  
“When’s Kaori comin’ ta town?” Osamu asks, breaking the silence after a few minutes.   
  
Daichi hums and he swallows his bite of food before answering, wipes the crumbs from his mouth.   
  
“Three weeks from now,” Daichi tells him. “She’s bringin’ Yukie and Konoha too.”   
  
Osamu hums, but Atsumu wrinkles his nose at that and sneers into his coffee as if it’s offended him.   
  
“Don’t see why fuckin’ _Akinori_ has to come,” Atsumu scoffs. “‘S not like he has anything to contribute.”   
  
“Jealousy is a great look on you, Atsumu. Really.”   
  
“I’m not fuckin’ _jealous-_ ”   
  
“Shut the _fuck_ up, ‘Tsumu. It’s too early for yer yappin’.”   
  
Atsumu reaches out and punches Osamu in the shoulder- which causes Osamu to spill coffee on the table and onto his lap. They start squabbling- loudly- and Daichi feels a vein twitch in his forehead, feels his already thin patience wear down even more.   
  
His tolerance for the Miyas’ bullshit is at its limit. He’s _done_.   
  
Daichi stands and he moves over to the other side of the table and, in one swift movement, grabs the kitsune by their collars and lifts them from the floor.   
  
“Wha- what the **_fuck_** , Sawamura?!”   
  
“Daichi! Put me _down_ you _piece_ of **_shit_**!”   
  
Daichi ignores their protests and their squirming, ignores how Atsumu tries to bite into his arm with his vicious, sharp teeth. He hoists them higher and he turns, carries them toward the front door. The pair of them let out twin _oofs_ when he drops them on their asses next to their shoes and Daichi glares down at them, matching their expressions.   
  
“Go _home_.”   
  
“Gods, yer so fuckin’-”   
  
“ _Go_. **_Home_**.”   
  
They hiss at him, but they don’t try to protest too much more other than some pointed grumbles. Once their shoes are on, Daichi flings open the door and starts pushing them outside and out of his hair.   
  
“Fuck you, Sawamura! Yer so fuckin’ testy! Fuckin’ barbarian! Piece of shit asshole! So _FUCKIN’_ rude-”   
  
“I don’t want to hear that from _you_ ,” Daichi snaps at Atsumu, cutting him off and almost shoving him down the stairs. “Leave and let me enjoy my morning in _peace_.”   
  
Atsumu scowls at him, but he follows Osamu down the stairs just the same. When they reach the bottom, Atsumu sticks his tongue out at Daichi and Daichi doesn’t even try to stop himself from rolling his eyes.   
  
Gods. They’re such a _handful_.   
  
Daichi slips back inside once they’re safely out of sight and locks the door behind him, drags a hand down his face as he leans against it.   
  
He hadn’t expected his morning to start out like this. He had expected quiet and peace and much, much, _much_ more sleep.   
  
Not the damn Miyas and their _bullshit_.   
  
Well... _whatever_. He’s awake now and he’s had his breakfast and coffee and now they’re gone- it’s time to get to work.   
  
With a sigh and reluctance, Daichi pushes himself from the door and dives into responsibility.   
  
💠💠💠   
  
Gods- _fuck_ \- he doesn’t want to do this anymore.   
  
Daichi stares at his computer screen, eyes starting to ache, and he groans as a notification for a new email pops up.   
  
No. _No_.   
  
_No_ more emails.   
  
_No_ more writing.   
  
Outside his open window, a bird chirps and Daichi groans again before throwing a wistful look at the sunshine and wispy clouds idly floating through the sky.   
  
It’s a beautiful day outside and Daichi is stuck _inside_ and, really, it’s unfair.   
  
The urge to be irresponsible tugs at him and Daichi sighs as his gaze floats back to the computer screen, shakes his head.   
  
No, no. He has to get this done. He didn’t do _anything_ while he was visiting the tengu and he can’t let his work keep piling up. He _needs_ to be responsible.   
  
He can relax once he’s caught up with his work.   
  
Daichi sighs and he stretches his arms to the ceiling, yawns as he lets them flop back to his side. When he reaches for his water, he notices that his glass is empty and Daichi frowns at that, stands up with a small wince.   
  
Ah, he had sat still for too long.   
  
The pricking discomfort leaves him as he walks over to his kitchen and Daichi fills the glass back up, turns and surveys his living room as he sips his water idly.   
  
He still needs to finish unpacking.   
  
He groans at the thought and he groans when he remembers that he _still_ has to do laundry. He could leave it for one more day, maybe, but then he’d be out of clean underwear and he _really_ doesn’t want to get in that position.   
  
He needs to just get it over with.   
  
And, _crap_ , he needs to wash his futon too.   
  
...maybe he’ll just pay someone else to do _that_.   
  
A sigh leaves Daichi as he wanders over to his open duffle bag- something long and weary and reluctant. He nudges the bag with his toe and it jostles the insides gently, rocks a certain ornate case that he had somehow forgotten about.   
  
Ah. Shimizu’s gift. He needs to give it to her.   
  
Daichi places his glass to the side and reaches down, carefully plucks the case out from his duffle bag. A soft chitter sounds from it when he gently lifts the lid and Daichi quietly apologizes to the formerly napping entity, closes it back up.   
  
Outside, another bird chirps and Daichi glances to his window before looking back at the present in his hands.   
  
It’s a really nice day outside. And Daichi’s mind has been slowly turning to mush from staring at his computer screen. Giving Shimizu her gift is on his to do list- crossing off that particular task would be a responsible thing to do, right?   
  
Right.   
  
Daichi carefully sets the box to the side and heads to his bedroom, begins searching for something clean to wear.   
  
Ten minutes later, Daichi is in a clean yukata. His hair is combed, his teeth have been brushed (again), _and_ he’s even dabbed on cologne.   
  
He’s going to see Shimizu- of course he has to put some sort of effort into his appearance.   
  
Daichi finds his kinchaku and he carefully puts the present inside, tries not to jostle it too much- he really doesn’t want to disturb the creature any more than he already has.   
  
(Honestly, he’s half tempted to keep it for himself.)   
  
Once the gift is safely stored, Daichi finds his wallet and his keys. The wallet goes into the kinchaku, but the keys stay in his hand as he leaves his apartment and only joins his wallet once Daichi is outside and his home is securely locked up.   
  
As Daichi makes his way down the stairs, he begins to smile. The weather is perfect- warm, but not too warm with only a few wispy clouds in sight- and Daichi soaks in the sun that shines down on him.   
  
Yes, that’s _much_ better.   
  
“Ah, Daichi! Are ya goin’ out?”   
  
The sudden question has Daichi pausing- has him almost jumping- and he whirls around to find Ukai by his truck- a crate of ume hitched on his hip and a cigarette between his lips. Something like guilt over leaving the house when he still has so much to do tries to rise up in Daichi, but he stubbornly squashes it down and smiles over at the bartender instead.   
  
He’s been working since he kicked the Miyas out. He’s allowed to take a break and besides- he’s running an errand. He’s not being irresponsible or slacking- he’s just trading one chore for another.   
  
He’s still being responsible.   
  
Definitely.   
  
“Yeah,” Daichi tells him. “I’m just going to drop off something at Shimizu’s.”   
  
“Oh, good. Can ya do me a favor and pick up some mirin while you’re out?” Ukai asks, looking a little exasperated. “I ran into Hinata and Kageyama while I was shoppin’ and they totally distracted me. It was the only thing I forgot...I think.”   
  
“I’ll pick some up for you,” Daichi reassures him. “Don’t worry about it.”   
  
Ukai starts to thank him, but Daichi just flaps a hand his way before beginning to walk toward Shimizu’s place.   
  
It’s a nice day out. The sun is shining, but it’s far from oppressive. The trees are green and budding- so close to blossoming but holding out for just a while longer. Daichi can smell honeysuckle on the breeze and, really, it’s a nice day.   
  
It was a good decision to hold off on doing his laundry in exchange for going to Shimizu’s.   
  
As he walks, Daichi is glad for the warmth that is so gently present. It had been chilly up in the mountains- not too cold with spring lazily unfurling but still chilly nonetheless. After two weeks of holing up with the tengu in their lofty territory, he’s happy for this mild warmth that the day is holding.   
  
It’s...refreshing.   
  
Daichi hums to himself, just softly, and smiles when he passes a group of children eagerly eating ice-cream and talking excitedly about some sort of show. It’s cute, sweet, and feels distinctly like _spring_ for some reason to Daichi.   
  
Maybe it was just the youth that they brought with them. Bright beginnings and all that.   
  
Daichi turns onto Shimizu’s street after a few minutes and he wanders to her home at a leisurely pace, eyes the looming building that faces him at the end of the street.   
  
It’s quiet on the street. Calm. Daichi likes it here.   
  
Daichi’s always liked it here.   
  
Daichi passes through the simple but elegant gate marking Shimizu’s property and takes the few small stairs up to the porch, knocks on the door politely but loud enough so that someone should be able to hear. It takes a few moments before anyone answers and Daichi _almost_ knocks on the door again but, before he can, the door opens and Daichi is greeted with the sight of one Yachi Hitoka looking up at him in wide eyed surprise.   
  
“Sawamura-san! I didn’t know you were back!”   
  
She sounds pleased- even if she is perhaps taken aback by his unscheduled appearance. The pleasure seems to be enough that she forgets her place (supposed place; Daichi has never thought of her as someone who should cater to him with any of the respect that she has so unnecessarily decided he’s owed) and Yachi smiles at him with a warmth that puts the sunshine to shame.   
  
The smile falters after a moment- some recognition flickering across her face- and it gets replaced with a blush and something vaguely resembling guilt. Yachi bows to him and Daichi huffs softly, returns the bow once she straightens back up.   
  
“I- I’m sorry,” Yachi apologizes despite not having any reason to. “Um...are you...are you looking for Shimizu-san?”   
  
Daichi nods and the apologetic expression on Yachi’s face grows even more so.   
  
“I’m so sorry, Sawamura-san,” she tells him, the words ringing true with her always present sincerity, “but Shimizu-san isn’t here right now. She had to go out to meet a client.”   
  
“That’s okay,” Daichi reassures her. He opens his kinchaku and carefully takes out a thin, fragile case from it, passes it to Yachi gingerly. “Could you please give this to her whenever she comes back?”   
  
Yachi nods, eyes wide and curious as she looks over the box, and Daichi smiles, feels like spring is even more prominent with the inquisitive cant of her head and the oh so mindful way she holds onto the delicate box.   
  
_Youth_.   
  
The curiosity and wonder of youth holds the same essence as spring does and Daichi thinks that he will never grow tired of it.   
  
“Make sure to be careful with it,” Daichi instructs her. “It’s fragile.”   
  
Yachi nods, again, and she cradles the container even more attentively.   
  
“Of course, Sawamura-san,” she murmurs, still looking over the box in fascination. “May I do anything else for you?”   
  
“No, but thank you,” Daichi tells her. “Have a good day, Yachi-san.”   
  
Yachi returns the sentiment and she bows to Daichi- still mindful of the case. Daichi bows the same- he will always bow to her since she insists on doing so to him- and he turns from her, heads out through the gate and onto the still quiet street.   
  
It is a bit of a disappointment that Shimizu isn’t home, if he’s being honest. Daichi had wanted to spend a bit of time with her, pass on all the things that Suga had told him to tell her. But, it’s okay that she’s not home- he knows that he’ll be able to catch up with her soon enough.   
  
Probably soon. Maybe. The witch _is_ rather busy.   
  
Daichi sighs to himself, but any of the small disappointment quickly vanishes as he walks through the streets and gets to enjoy the sun and the trilling calls of birds and the sweet scent of honeysuckle.   
  
He remembers, barely, that he had promised to pick up mirin for Ukai and ends up stopping at a convenience store to pick up the biggest bottle that they carry.   
  
He gets himself some onigiri and a bottle of green tea, too, because he’s starting to get hungry and he knows he won’t feel like cooking when he gets home and Asahi won’t be coming in until later that day for work.   
  
He should bully Asahi into making him shoyu ramen tonight, Daichi thinks. As a welcome home gift.   
  
Daichi smiles to himself, just a little, at the thought and he pays for everything, loops the plastic bag around his wrist. He takes a moment to unwrap one of the onigiri once he’s outside the store and then continues on his journey back home.   
  
He decides to take the long way and lazily wanders down the road, takes absent bites of his onigiri as he enjoys the fresh air and sunshine.   
  
He really should be responsible whenever he gets back. He should do laundry and sweep his floor and review the few scant things he had managed to scrawl out for his novel on his trip. He should respond to his editor’s email. He should send out his futon to be cleaned. He should be _responsible_.   
  
The thought of skipping all of that and going over to Moniwa’s and drinking with him in the backyard is very tempting, though. Moniwa has a nice garden, good food, and a hammock that he doesn’t mind Daichi falling asleep in.   
  
Which would be nice. A lot more fun than being responsible.   
  
Daichi smiles to himself at the thought, not realizing how his lips have tilted up, and eats the last of his onigiri in one big bite.   
  
He only realizes his mistake in doing so when he turns the corner and is suddenly confronted with a small murder of crows giving him dirty looks.   
  
Ah, crap.   
  
He opens his mouth to greet them, but is stopped by them rushing him- cawing _obnoxiously_ and flapping their wings in his face like the brats they are.   
  
Though, maybe that’s fair. It _has_ been a while since he’s visited them. He should have brought a treat to offer them.   
  
Well. He would have, at least, if he had planned on seeing them. This visit was more accidental than anything.   
  
“Hey, hey! **_Hey-_ ** _stop it!_ ”   
  
One wing catches his cheek and Daichi growls at that, flaps an annoyed hand at the particularly accusing bird that had been brash enough to do so. He waves his hands around until they back off- cawing and making way too much ruckus for the quiet street.   
  
They only stop once Daichi takes out his other onigiri- well, fuck, there goes the rest of his snack- and unwraps it, breaks it up into small pieces and tosses it on the ground. They dive bomb the sidewalk and immediately begin pecking at the rice, flapping their wings lightly and making cooing noises.   
  
Gods, they’re like children sometimes.   
  
Daichi huffs and he fixes his hair from where one of them had raked their foot through it, sighs as they look up at him.   
  
Well, at least they’re calm now.   
  
**_You smell like Tengu_. **  
  
Daichi nods at that, knowing it’s probably true. Suga is _very particular_ about scenting him when he visits and, really, it’s ridiculous- he doesn’t need his best friend’s scent to ward off interested parties; he’s fully capable of taking care of himself _thank you very much_.   
  
“I went to visit them,” Daichi informs the crow that had pointed it out. “I just got back yesterday.”   
  
There are interested chirps at that and Daichi smiles a little- his annoyance from before already starting to fade.   
  
“The hatchlings should be born next month,” Daichi tells them, crouching down to have a little chat. “You all should go see them.”   
  
**_It’s been a long time since any Tengu have hatched_. **  
  
**_We need to visit and bring our offerings_.**   
  
There are titters of agreement and Daichi smiles a little, relaxes as the crows chatter amongst themselves.   
  
Looking over them, he remembers Nishinoya’s news from the night before and a certain curiosity fills him, has him glancing across the street.   
  
The Osayu house stands quiet. It looks almost the same since Daichi saw it last- well maintained but old; cozy and welcoming despite drawn curtains. The only real difference to the house now is that there’s a car parked in the drive-way and some moving boxes stacked up in a flattened pile on the porch.   
  
“Hey,” Daichi says, looking back to the crows. “Tell me about the guy that moved in across the street.”   
  
They caw at him and turn back to their meal- ignoring him like the _greedy_ little shits that they are. One, though, hops over to him after a bite and flutters its way onto his shoulder.   
  
**_He’s okay. For a city boy_.**   
  
The others make noises of agreement and Daichi finds his brow raising, his interest growing a little more.   
  
The crows really are picky. It’s hard to get their approval.   
  
**_He throws out scraps for us_** , one adds.   
  
**_And he left out some offerings._ **  
  
Offerings, _right_. It was really probably just some random, shiny rubbish that he left unattended and the crows decided to steal.   
  
He doesn’t say that, though.   
  
“Nishinoya said that Kuguri doesn’t like him,” Daichi comments. “That he’s loud.”   
  
They make little noises at that- disinterested and dismissive. The one perched on his shoulders nips at Daichi’s ear gently and Daichi reaches a hand up automatically, scritches his beak until there’s a funky little purr that sounds.   
  
**_The tsuchinoko is whiny_** , one of the crows comments, hopping around after the last morsel of onigiri is devoured.   
  
**_He is not that loud_** , another says.   
  
_**He has a bad taste in music, though.** _   
  
The crows all make noises of agreement and Daichi snorts at that, looks over at the house and hums thoughtfully.   
  
“He lives alone?” Daichi asks. There’s an affirmative chirp from one of them and Daichi hums again, runs his eyes over the silent house. “Do you know his name?”   
  
**_Oikawa_** , the crow perched on him informs Daichi. **_Oikawa Tooru_.**   
  
Huh.   
  
Oikawa Tooru.   
  
Daichi will remember that name.   
  
**_Next time bring meat_.**   
  
Daichi huffs at the demand and the crow perching on him nips at his ear, pushes off and starts flying away. The others join suit and Daichi sighs as he watches them soar away, smiles despite himself as he stands up.   
  
The crows might be little shits and the Miyas might be little shits as well and Nishinoya might have almost cracked his ribs last night but, well...   
  
It really is good to be home.   
  
With the crows gone and his way clear, Daichi heads back to his apartment with a small smile on his face and a lightness in his heart.   
  


* * *

  
  
It takes a week before Daichi so much as catches a glimpse of Oikawa Tooru.   
  
Truthfully, he hasn’t been actively trying to meet him- he’s been busy catching up and settling into the rhythm of normal life again.   
  
He’s been a little too busy to be more than passively interested in the newest addition to their neighborhood.   
  
That changes, however, whenever Daichi walks down Oikawa’s street and catches sight of him getting into his car- a golden glow shimmering around him.   
  
Oh. Oh, what the **_fuck?_ **   
  
Daichi stares across the street and watches as Oikawa pulls out of the driveway, turns left and disappears from view.   
  
He blinks, mouth hanging open a bit, and then whirls around to set a narrowed look toward the crows hanging out on the fence beside him.   
  
“He is _not_ human,” Daichi accuses, pointing a finger in the direction Oikawa had left in.   
  
**_He’s human_** , one of the crows tells him- irritated and flapping their wings lightly.   
  
**_He’s human_** , repeats another. **_He is merely blessed_**.   
  
Daichi scoffs, disbelieving that such important information had been left out from their first conversation about Oikawa, and turns to squint at the house across the road.   
  
It doesn’t give him any of the answers he’s looking for- only stands there quietly as it has always done.   
  
“A blessed human moving into the neighborhood is a big deal,” Daichi tells the crows, turning to look at them again. “Does anyone else know about this?”   
  
The crows just cant their heads at him and hop a little along the fence, flap and flutter their way onto a tree branch.   
  
**_Don’t know_** , one of them says.   
  
**_Don’t care_** , adds another.   
  
**_He’s still just a human- even if he is blessed_. **  
  
_**He probably doesn’t know he is anyway.** _   
  
Daichi scowls a little, but his irritation is not _that_ fierce at the disinterested birds.   
  
Of course they wouldn’t care. All _they_ care about is if they get fed or not.   
  
Greedy bastards.   
  
Daichi frowns and he looks back at the house again, eyes it with displaced suspicion.   
  
What did Oikawa do to earn being granted a blessing by a god?   
  
Which god _was_ it?   
  
Daichi’s eyes narrow and, suddenly, passive interest blossoms into full blown curiosity.   
  
He _needs_ to know how Oikawa came to be blessed.   
  
Daichi eyes the house a little longer before turning to leave, tossing two meat buns over his shoulder for the crows to devour.   
  
💠💠💠   
  
When Daichi returns to the izakaya, it’s in chaos.   
  
Hinata is there and so is Nishinoya and so is Tanaka. So, of course, the izakaya is in _chaos_.   
  
Daichi watches them for a moment, frowning as they yell and chase each other around the izakaya over something that is probably very, very _stupid_.   
  
It’s only when they trip over a table and cause beer to spill onto a kawauso’s lap that Daichi decides to intervene.   
  
Daichi steps further into the room and he waits until Nishinoya and Hinata try to dart past him. He thrusts his hands out quickly and snatches them by their collars expertly, makes them come to a screeching halt. The two tiny tengu’s momentum causes them to clash together and Tanaka- unable to stop himself in time- skids into them with a loud **_bang_**.   
  
“ _Enough_.”   
  
The trio all wince from their pain, but Daichi ignores them. He drops Hinata and Nishinoya on the floor on top of Tanaka and, again, ignores when Tanaka lets out an _oof_ and a protesting, “ _Daichi-san!_ ”   
  
Daichi leaves them in their whining pile and heads to the bar, sets himself down wearily in front of Ukai.   
  
“I didn’t give ‘em any caffeine,” Ukai tells him before Daichi can even open his mouth to ask. “They came in already hyped up.”   
  
Daichi huffs at that, softly, and watches the bartender move to make him a drink.   
  
“I saw the new guy today,” Daichi says without preamble, sliding his kiseru out from his sleeve. He considers lighting it mundanely, but there are no humans around and, honestly, he’s feeling a bit too impatient to resort to average actions. “He’s blessed.”   
  
Ukai pauses as he reaches for a bottle of souchou and he looks up at Daichi- one brow raised and his cigarette threatening to slip from his lips.   
  
“No shit?” Ukai asks, surprised and obviously impressed. “By who?”   
  
Daichi can only shrug at that and he lights his kiseru with a snap of his fingers, takes a long draw from it.   
  
“I don’t know,” Daichi tells him, exhaling out smoke with a sigh. “I asked the crows, but you know how they are- they don’t know or care.”   
  
Ukai snorts at that and he resumes making Daichi his drink- curiosity lingering on his face.   
  
“Must be one hell of a guy,” Ukai muses. “You talked to him?”   
  
Daichi shakes his head, something regretful in the motion.   
  
“No,” Daichi says, holding back his sigh this time. “I just saw him getting into his car. He was glowing gold.”   
  
“Huh.”   
  
_Huh_ is right.   
  
Ukai places a drink in front of Daichi and Daichi thanks him with a nod of his head, sips on it idly as he ponders over the new... _person_ on the block.   
  
If he were _just_ another human, Daichi might lose interest in him. But he’s a human that has been _blessed_.   
  
And Daichi wants to know _why_.   
  
Daichi’s only met a scattered handful of blessed humans in his life- Oikawa Tooru must be _extraordinary_.   
  
Daichi hums to himself, soft and low, as he muses over the man that he knows next to nothing about.   
  
He wants to meet him, definitely, but the question is _how_ can he meet him without coming off as some weird, nosy stranger?   
  
Not that he’s weird. Or nosy.   
  
A huff leaves Daichi and he brings his kiseru to his lips, takes in a languid draw.   
  
Well. They live in the same neighborhood. They’re bound to run into each other some day.   
  
Daichi decides to leave the meeting up to fate and spends the rest of his night wrangling in the rowdy trio of Nishinoya, Hinata, and Tanaka- scaring them into submission when they get too loud and herding them upstairs after the three drink too much and fall asleep in a sleepy, tangled heap together on the izakaya’s floor.   
  
They’re ridiculous. _He_ is ridiculous- much too soft in his old age and much too willing to let the various yokai of the neighborhood crash in his apartment above the izakaya.   
  
But, Daichi thinks, as he watches them snooze and drool on his futon together, that’s okay.   
  
At least they’re safe.   
  
Daichi watches over them through the night- silently smoking as he drinks his way through a bottle of sake and writes out a new scene for his novel; something soft and familial that tugs at his own heart as his fingers tap along the keyboard.   
  
That night, Daichi falls asleep at his desk- tired and drunk but with a small smile on his face and a chorus of small snores filling his home.   
  
💠💠💠   
  
Two days after Daichi first sees Oikawa Tooru, Kuguri Naoyasu slithers into the izakaya and plops himself next to Daichi at the bar with a yawn.   
  
Daichi raises his brow at the tsuchinoko, but Kuguri ignores him as he cradles his head in his arms and asks Ukai in a mumble to make him something with coffee in it. When Ukai presents him with the drink, Kuguri gulps it down in one go and pushes the empty glass toward Ukai and requests another.   
  
“You seem tired,” Daichi comments. Kuguri sends him a _look_ and Daichi huffs, amends the statement with, “You seem more tired than usual.”   
  
“Yeah, I guess,” Kuguri agrees with a loud yawn. He sits up a little, at least, when Ukai pushes his second drink over to him and rubs at his eye before propping his chin on his hand. “The new guy livin’ in the house is really loud. Haven’t been able to sleep that much…”   
  
“The crows say he’s not that loud,” Daichi tells him, tilting his head away so as not to blow smoke in the snake’s face. “They like him.”   
  
A huff leaves Kuguri and Daichi watches a small scowl form, lips pinching together.   
  
“ _They’re_ not the ones livin’ underneath him,” Kuguri grumbles. “They don’t hafta hear him pacing around all night or blastin’ his shitty music until five in the morning.”   
  
He looks so grumpy over it that Daichi almost snorts in amusement. He curbs that desire, though, and just allows a small smile to form instead.   
  
“Maybe that’s a sign you should move out,” Daichi suggests. “Maybe, you know, actually get a house of your own instead of sleeping under someone else’s.”   
  
Kuguri scoffs at the idea and Daichi _does_ snort at that, muffling it a little as he takes a sip of his drink.   
  
“I was there first,” Kuguri says, voice stubborn.   
  
“Nishinoya said you were gonna curse him,” Ukai chimes in, leaning on the bar.   
  
Kuguri’s nose wrinkles and Daichi watches as a scowl takes over his face before fading into a small, annoyed frown.   
  
“I tried to,” Kuguri huffs out. “But the bastard is _protected_.”   
  
“Blessed,” Daichi murmurs, not quite meaning to.   
  
“What _ever_.”   
  
Kuguri moodily starts sipping on his drink and Daichi ignores his sulking, brings his pipe to his lips and thinks quietly about Oikawa instead.   
  
It’s probably a good thing he’s blessed, Daichi decides. He would be vulnerable here if he wasn’t.   
  
“Oi, Ukai, I want some karaage.”   
  
Daichi blinks at the demand and he looks over to find Futakuchi just off to the side with an annoyed look on his face.   
  
“How about some goddamn manners instead?” Ukai snaps back. He’s already writing down the order, though, and Daichi feels a certain rumble in his stomach at the thought of food.   
  
“Actually, can I get some too?” Daichi asks. He smiles when Ukai sighs and nods, glances around the room to see if he can spot Moniwa in the izakaya.   
  
Usually when Futakuchi is present, Moniwa is somewhere nearby.   
  
Sadly, though, Daichi’s fellow writer is nowhere in sight.   
  
“He’s at home workin’,” Futakuchi tells him, voice bored, before Daichi can open his mouth to ask. “He’s gotta meet his deadline.”   
  
Daichi hums, sympathetic, and turns his attention back to his drink and the food that Ukai slides beside it. He blocks out the protest that Futakuchi makes over him getting his order first and happily starts eating it, tries _really_ hard not to think about his own looming deadline.   
  
He’ll finish before it gets to crunch time. It’ll be a piece of cake.   
  
...definitely.   
  
Daichi frowns as he looks down at his food and thinks that maybe he should head upstairs.   
  
That would be the smart thing to do. That would be the _responsible_ thing to do.   
  
A sigh leaves Daichi and he scrubs at his face a little before reluctantly moving to stand.   
  
“Ukai?” Daichi asks. “Can you send Asahi up with some food later? I don’t care what he makes.”   
  
Ukai’s brow raises and Daichi knows that it’s because it’s an unexpected request after Daichi had _just_ ordered some karaage.   
  
“I need to work,” Daichi admits begrudgingly. “And I can’t do that if I’m down here.”   
  
Ukai eyes him, but he nods after a moment and Daichi finds himself a little grateful.   
  
“Yeah, sure,” he tells Daichi. “No problem.”   
  
Daichi thanks him and he leaves a stack of yen on the bar for payment before grabbing his food and his drink and heading upstairs to his apartment.   
  
He can still hear the sound of the izakaya when he’s in his home. It’s not too bad, thankfully- just a low murmur of noise- and Daichi hopes that it won’t prove to be too much of a distraction.   
  
Daichi brings his food and his drink over to his computer and he folds himself down to sit, boots up the machine with a sigh.   
  
Right. No time for drinking downstairs or wondering about Oikawa or hanging out with Moniwa. It’s time for Daichi to _work_.   
  
And so he does- a look of concentration on his face and his focus solely zeroed in on finishing out the chapter he had abandoned earlier for booze.   
  
Daichi works, and he doesn’t wonder about Oikawa.   
  
💠💠💠   
  
“Daichi...shouldn’t you be at home writing?”   
  
Daichi blinks at the question and he shrugs, looking away from Shimizu to run his gaze over the flowers that she is cutting and arranging. The pipe fox keeps rolling around in the flowers and, really, it’s very cute.   
  
“I’ve been working all morning,” Daichi tells Shimizu. It’s true- he has. He watches the pipe fox sniff at a pink camellia and then sneeze- its tiny body shivering and rippling with the force of the unusually loud sound. Daichi smiles over that and he looks back up at Shimizu with a hum.   
  
“Have you named it yet?” Daichi asks, gesturing to the familiar that has finally decided to abandon the flowers in favor of curling around Shimizu’s wrist.   
  
“...Mochi,” she informs him, sparing a look down at the familiar. She smiles faintly when it nuzzles against her forearm and Daichi feels pride then- real pride over having been able to find a gift that Shimizu actually enjoys.   
  
“I almost didn’t give it to you,” Daichi admits, grinning when Shimizu’s smile turns into a small frown.   
  
“You’re teasing me too much today,” Shimizu tells him with a soft huff. “You spent too much time with Suga.”   
  
“Maybe,” Daichi admits. “But it was nice spending that time with him.”   
  
Shimizu hums and the two of them fall into a comfortable silence. Daichi watches Shimizu continue her flower arranging and sips on his tea idly, enjoys the peace of the witch’s home.   
  
It’s so quiet here. He loves the izakaya- he really does- but, sometimes, the noise of it is really just too much to handle. Here, he’s never had to face the problem of shouting tengu or squabbling kitsune or growling inugami- here it is quiet and peaceful. Here is a _sanctuary_.   
  
Though, it may be just a little _too_ quiet today.   
  
Daichi lifts his head and he looks around the backyard for a certain blonde apprentice, twists in place and scans the room behind him.   
  
Yachi is nowhere to be found and _that_ is a surprise.   
  
“Where’s Yachi today?” Daichi asks, turning back to Shimizu.   
  
Her eyes are dipped low when Daichi turns back around- gaze fixed on his _wrist_ of all things. Daichi raises his brow at her, but Shimizu just hums as she brings her eyes back up to his face- the sound almost concerningly _thoughtful_.   
  
Daichi eyes her, suspicious, but Shimizu ignores him and just focuses her attention on elegantly trimming down the stem of an anemone and placing it in the vase she’s been slowly filling over the last half hour.   
  
“Her mother is in town,” Shimizu informs him. “Hitoka-chan is having lunch with her.”   
  
Ah, of course. The only person Yachi would leave Shimizu’s side for is her mother- Daichi should have guessed.   
  
This time, it’s Daichi’s turn to hum.   
  
The two of them lapse back into silence and Daichi absently wonders how long Yachi’s mother will be in town, if Yachi has told her about her apprenticeship yet.   
  
...probably not.   
  
Not that Daichi can blame her- he thinks it would probably be difficult for a human in this day and age to tell their parent that they are apprenticing under a witch instead of working in an office or doing some other boring, equally mundane job.   
  
She _will_ have to tell her one day, though.   
  
“Daichi?”   
  
“Hmm?”   
  
“Have you met Oikawa-san yet?”   
  
The sudden question has Daichi’s brow raising and he looks to Shimizu in faint surprise, finds that her eyes are once more on his wrist. His own narrow, but she ignores his suspicion again and merely glances up at him, waits for an answer.   
  
“...no, not yet,” Daichi tells her, the words coming out slowly. “I’ve seen him once, though. I know he’s blessed.”   
  
Shimizu nods and her eyes fall back to her arrangement again- lips pursing softly before she carefully switches the positions of a sprig of baby’s breath and a camelia.   
  
“Have you met him?” Daichi asks. He comes off as a little accusing, maybe. But...it’s hard not to when the witch is behaving so vaguely _mysterious_ with her little looks and the new topic of conversation.   
  
“No,” Shimizu says, reaching over for a spool of ribbon. “Hitoka-chan and I have seen him while out walking, though. He seems very…”   
  
She trails off and Daichi’s brow raises high again, some sort of impatience runs through him as he waits for Shimizu to find the word she’s looking for.   
  
He seems very _what?_   
  
_What is he like?_   
  
“...interesting,” the witch finally settles on, tying a bow around the vase expertly.   
  
“Interesting,” Daichi repeats.   
  
“Interesting.”   
  
Daichi huffs at that because, really, what else can he do?   
  
“And I’m sure you’re not going to elaborate on _why_ he seems interesting?” Daichi asks.   
  
For a second, Daichi can almost _swear_ that Shimizu’s eyes twinkle at the question. He gets distracted by that when she smiles, though- a full fledged, absolutely _beautiful_ smile that graces her face as she looks over him.   
  
“You’re right,” she tells him. “I’m not going to elaborate.”   
  
“ _Now_ who's acting like Suga?” Daichi huffs without heat or any real true annoyance.   
  
Shimizu keeps her smile- though it fades into something more small- and Daichi smiles back after a moment, shakes his head.   
  
He wants to know what’s on Shimizu’s mind, but he knows that she won’t tell him until she’s ready to share.   
  
Daichi can wait- impatiently so, yes, but he can still wait.   
  
He knows the witch wouldn’t withhold anything just to hurt him.   
  
Shimizu reaches for her spare flowers and begins weaving them into a small bed for Mochi. Daichi only watches her with a smile and the two of them sit in companionable silence as the day slips away.   
  
💠💠💠   
  
Daichi usually doesn’t stay so long at Shimizu’s- he’s usually gone by dinner, home before the thought of supper even enters his head.   
  
But somehow tonight, Daichi had managed to stay long enough that Yachi had set a place for him when it came time to eat. _Somehow_ he’s lingered in his visit long enough that the moon is hanging in the sky and the stars are weakly twinkling through clouds and trees and the horrible light pollution that Daichi hates.   
  
He’s stayed late tonight- far later than any other night before- and Daichi thinks that it is _entirely_ Shimizu’s doing.   
  
She’s up to something, but he has nothing he can use to call her out on it.   
  
“Please be safe walking home,” Yachi tells him, pressing a small, boxed cake into his hands.   
  
Daichi wants to laugh at the notion of _him_ being _unsafe_ walking home, but he quickly stuffs it down- Yachi is being sincere and the caring is sweet.   
  
“Of course, Yachi-san,” he promises. “Thank you for the cake.”   
  
She blushes and that’s sweet too.   
  
Daichi smiles at her and he smiles at Shimizu lingering behind the small woman- feels a small warmth in his chest.   
  
They’re good people, these two. Daichi is lucky to have them in his life.   
  
They say their goodnights and then Daichi is headed home- feet moving on autopilot and a small smile on his face.   
  
Asahi is a good cook, yes, but Yachi is a _fantastic_ one- having a meal prepared by her was something of an unexpected treat.   
  
Hopefully one he can enjoy again someday soon.   
  
Daichi hums at the thought as he walks- already imagining a veritable feast prepared by the witch’s apprentice.   
  
He gets so caught up in visions of miso chicken, rice, meat buns, and braised pork belly that he doesn’t really notice which way his feet take him. Which is fine- he knows the town like the back of his hand.   
  
But, they _do_ take him somewhere unexpected- somewhere he doesn’t really visit that often.   
  
Daichi blinks as he looks at the building that could be counted as the town’s only club (not really, no- Daichi knows what clubs are like and it’s much too tame to compare to the ones he’s been dragged to when visiting Tokyo) and tilts his head to the side, furrows his brow.   
  
...he hadn’t intended to go this way.   
  
Annoyed and vaguely confused, Daichi shakes his head and turns on his heel so he can head home. He gets stopped, though, when he catches sight of a figure walking ahead of him- someone tall and slender and putting off a faint golden glow.   
  
_Oikawa_.   
  
Daichi blinks- this time rapidly and with even more surprise- and he shakes his head again as if to right his vision, frowns as he watches the man disappear around the corner.   
  
This is...unexpected.   
  
This is _very_ unexpected.   
  
Daichi hesitates, torn between the urge to follow after the man and introduce himself and just letting him be. He frowns as he thinks and, after a few seconds, begins heading in Oikawa’s direction.   
  
Only because it’s the way home, he tells himself- insisting it even if he doesn’t have to give _himself_ any reason to explain away his decision.   
  
He’s not going to introduce himself, no. That would be stupid- it’s late and it’s dark and it would just be a very dumb, very bad idea to introduce himself right now.   
  
His curiosity can wait.   
  
Soon enough, Oikawa is back in view- walking ahead of Daichi with long, easy steps and a gentle sway in his gait. Daichi wonders if he might be drunk, wonders if he had gone to the club that’s not really a club or if he had gone somewhere else. He wonders, too, if Oikawa would like Ukai’s izakaya and whether or not the man would be able to slip through the night’s barrier to join him for a drink.   
  
Wait...no. No. That...that’s something he shouldn’t think about- he hasn’t even formally _met_ Oikawa yet.   
  
Daichi shakes his head and shakes his thoughts away, huffs softly to himself as his eyes trace the figure ahead.   
  
If he’s blessed, there’s a possibility that Oikawa _could_ move through the barrier that they activate late at night so he and all the other yokai can enjoy the izakaya in peace and act as they wish without having to worry about humans.   
  
The possibility is small, Daichi thinks, but it’s an interesting possibility all the same.   
  
…interesting- is this the sort of thing that Shimizu had meant?   
  
Daichi mulls it over, wondering over the witch’s statement. He gets lost in his thoughts easily and quickly- gets so caught up in trying to find the reason behind Shimizu’s word choice that he doesn’t even notice that Oikawa has stopped walking until a sharp voice pierces the night and through his pondering.   
  
“ _Stop following me_.”   
  
The sudden words crack like a whip and Daichi blinks, jerks himself out of his thoughts and looks up to find that he’s _much_ closer to Oikawa than he was before.   
  
When did Oikawa stop?   
  
Daichi blinks- surprised and guilty and not knowing what to say.   
  
He’s left with an even bigger loss of words when Oikawa turns around and levels him with a glare that could make an oni tremble.   
  
Oh, though- _oh_.   
  
He’s not what Daichi had expected.   
  
Daichi blinks, because that’s the only thing he can really do in the moment.   
  
Oikawa is _pretty_. No, not pretty- gorgeous? Stunning? Ethereal?   
  
Definitely some sort of ethereal- definitely someone that could rival Suga with his looks and maybe, _possibly_ even Shimizu.   
  
Daichi blinks again and he feels his heart trip over a beat, swallows as caramel eyes narrow even further.   
  
“Um,” he says- oh so elegant and composed-, “my home is this way?”   
  
He ends it like a question and doesn’t know why. Guilt nips at him because, well, he _had_ kind of been following Oikawa.   
  
But he had been telling the truth too- home _is_ that way.   
  
...it might just take a few extra minutes to get there than if he were going a more direct route.   
  
Oikawa frowns at him, disbelief all over his face. He eyes Daichi- clearly suspicious- and Daichi does his best to smile at him, look non-threatening.   
  
After a few tense moments, Oikawa huffs and steps to the side. Daichi throws him a confused look, but Oikawa only points ahead in explanation and shoots him a scowl.   
  
...that’s rude. Daichi hasn’t done anything to him.   
  
(except maybe kind of sort of follow him on the way home)   
(kind of)   
  
Daichi lets out his own huff- soft and honestly a bit annoyed. Oikawa doesn’t move a muscle- just looks at him expectantly- and Daichi sighs after a moment, starts walking ahead.   
  
Well. Another unexpected turn to the night.   
  
Daichi walks past Oikawa and continues on his way home, stubbornly sticks to the route he had been planning to take before getting called out. He can feel Oikawa’s eyes on him- piercing and burning and making his neck hairs rise- and Daichi huffs to himself over it, pinches his lips together and frowns.   
  
He didn’t want his first time interacting with Oikawa to be like _this_.   
  
Though, he doesn’t really know how he had expected or wanted it to go either.   
  
The frown on Daichi’s face deepens, but some of his irritation bleeds away- not all, but enough that his back isn’t so rigid anymore.   
  
A sigh escapes Daichi and has to force himself not to shake his head as he tries to get over the fact that Oikawa had clearly thought he was being a creep.   
  
...whatever. This is their first meeting- so be it; he can’t take it back now.   
  
Daichi sighs, again, and quietly walks home.   
  
It’s...awkward with Oikawa following him. Daichi feels like the usual night sounds are barely present- that the usual noise of traffic and insects and the hum of electricity from telephone wires have been turned down low. He can only really hear Oikawa’s footsteps echoing on the sidewalk behind him and that is...somewhat annoying.   
  
Daichi wants to turn around and face him, but he’s sure that wouldn’t go well.   
  
Another sigh and Daichi thinks about how he wants a drink. He doesn’t really want to go to the izakaya- no, he’s much too frustrated to deal with that right now.   
  
But he does want a drink. He has booze in the kitchen still, he thinks- he can make himself something when he goes home.   
  
Daichi hums to himself, soft and light, and turns onto Oikawa’s street.   
  
He expects the footsteps to fade after passing by Oikawa’s house. He expects to be left alone and in peace once he passes by the man’s home.   
  
He expects that, but- for reasons he can’t even begin to imagine- the footsteps keep following him even when he’s reached the half-way point of the quiet, sleepy street.   
  
_What?_   
  
...maybe he’s just imagining it. Maybe it’s just his own feet thudding through his mind.   
  
Daichi frowns and he halts, catches the sound of a few more steps before silence falls. Daichi blinks and moves again after a moment, frowns even deeper when another set of footsteps joins his own.   
  
Oh, what the hell?   
  
Daichi scowls to himself and he glares at the sidewalk as he continues walking, growls just a little with his annoyance.   
  
What- so it’s not okay for Daichi to “follow” him, but it’s okay for Oikawa to follow Daichi?   
  
His scowl grows deeper and Daichi has to dig his nails into his palm to keep from turning around and confronting the man.   
  
He wants to do it- he wants to do it _so bad_. The petty part of Daichi wants to whirl around and spit out the same words that Oikawa had barked out at him and Daichi wants to make Oikawa feel _just_ as guilty as he himself had felt earlier.   
  
But...but if he does that- if he confronts Oikawa over why he’s still following him even though they’ve already passed Oikawa’s house by a whole street now- then Oikawa will _know_ that Daichi is aware of where he lives and will consider his suspicion from earlier valid and will condemn Daichi as some sort of _creep_.   
  
Daichi is _not_ a creep. If anyone’s a creep- it’s Oikawa. It’s _definitely_ Oikawa for being a hypocritical little _brat_ and following Daichi all the way home even if he himself had kicked up a fuss over Daichi _daring_ to walk behind him.   
  
_Brat_.   
  
Daichi scowls and he feels his shoulders tighten again when he turns the corner and sees the izakaya up ahead. Oikawa is _still_ behind him- footsteps light and persistent- and Daichi only manages to keep from confronting the man until he crosses the street and stops in front of his stairs.   
  
The footsteps come to a halt and Daichi’s patience snaps then, his temper begins to take over a tiny bit of his self-control.   
  
“Are you _following me?_ ” Daichi spits out, turning around and fixing Oikawa with a _well_ deserved scowl.   
  
Oikawa startles and Daichi can see- even with the dark around them and the man across the street- some shock on his face over being caught.   
  
He doesn’t bother to look embarrassed or chagrined and Daichi huffs at that, narrows his eyes when a _pout_ forms on Oikawa’s face. It only further serves to aggravate Daichi and Daichi crosses his arms over his chest when the man puts a hand on his hip and turns his nose up in the air.   
  
“I had to make sure you weren’t going to double back and follow me home,” Oikawa snaps- snippy and rude and just loud enough to be heard over the distance between them. “I’ve had it happen before!”   
  
Of course he has- he’s gorgeous.   
  
But Daichi isn’t the kind of person to do that sort of thing and the insinuation that he _would_ makes his scowl grow even darker.   
  
“Well congratulations,” Daichi snaps back, “now you know where _I_ live.”   
  
Oikawa huffs and he puffs up with it- aggravated just as Daichi is but _so_ undeserving of the right to be irritated.   
  
“You were following me first!”   
  
“I was heading _home_!”   
  
“What kind of person lives above a shitty bar?!”   
  
“I do! And it’s _not_ shitty!”   
  
Oikawa huffs again and it’s so _dramatic_ this time- sends Daichi’s temper skyrocketing as he manages to point his stupid, cute nose even further in the air.   
  
“I’ll be the judge of that!”   
  
Daichi’s jaw drops at the sheer _haughtiness_ in the words and he stares- in disbelief and aggravation- as Oikawa turns his back on him and _stomps_ off down the road and back toward his own home.   
  
“ ** _UGH!_** ”   
  
The noise that comes from Daichi is nothing but childish and frustrated and _annoyed._ Daichi _knows_ that, but he can’t help it- can’t help his temper flaring or the scowl on his face or the way he stomps up his own stairs.   
  
Daichi glares at his door as he unlocks it and bursts into his home with a curse, slams the door behind him and locks it as he swears again with a growl.   
  
Oikawa Tooru is an interesting person?   
  
No, no- Shimizu had it wrong.   
  
Oikawa Tooru is an _infuriating_ person.

**Author's Note:**

> A few things to note:  
> -tags will definitely be updated in the future and Archive Warnings might as well; i haven't decided if i want to give into Certain Scenes yet or not  
> -Yes I am placing the Miya's personalities firmly in pre-timeskip. (for now) This is because I'm self-indulgent. And because I can  
> -updates will be _super_ sporadic but if you've been around for a while you should know that  
> -do NOT take any of the yokai stuff to be accurate; i am _heavily_ taking advantage of lore but _also_ ignoring lore and doing whatever the fuck i want with it.  
> -seriously i'm making shit up as i go and only slipping in "factual" stuff whenever it suits my purposes; please do not take any of the yokai stuff as truth
> 
> And, uh, yeah. Please enjoy.
> 
> P.S.- If you think something should be tagged, feel free to let me know. It's easy to let things slip through the cracks sometimes.


End file.
